An American judge has refused to dismiss all charges against Mohammad Saaili Shibin, one of the first ever people renditioned from Somalia to the USA on piracy charges. And the judge has also said that statements made by the man whilst been flown from Somalia to the USA can be used as evidence.
Mohammad Saaili Shibin's defence lawyer demanded that all charges against be dropped for several reasons, including the fact that the arrest and rendition to the USA was illegal; he was basically kidnapped from Somalia.
It is alleged that Mohammad Saaili Shibin searched the internet using his cellphone to try and ascertain how much of a ransom could be demanded for an American yacht hi-jacked in early 2011. Whilst in custody and been flown to the US (three days after he was first arrested and interrogated) he is alleged to have confessed to being the negotiator when the German ship, Marida Marguerite, was hi-jacked in 2010. As a result he now faces two charges, one in relation to the US yacht and the other to the German merchant ship.
Germany was thanked by the USA for its role in bringing the charges against the man.
The trial is set down to begin on the 17th April.
